OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 
249 
without delay in the desired direction. At five A.M., therefore, as soon as 1820. 
the snow had cleared away sufficiently to allow the signal to be distinguished, 
we cast off, and ran along shore, the wind having by this time veered to the 
E.b.N., and blowing in strong puffs out of the ravines as we passed them. 
We sailed along, generally at the distance of a hundred or a hundred and 
fifty yards from the beach, our soundings being from ten to seventeen 
fathoms ; and, after running a mile and a half in a N.W.b.W. direction, once 
more found the ice offering an impenetrable obstacle to our progress west- 
ward, at a small projecting point of land just beyond us. We, therefore, 
hauled the ship into a birth which we were at this moment fortunate in 
finding abreast of us, and where we were enabled to place the Hecla 
within a number of heavy masses of grounded ice, such as do not often occur 
on this steep coast, and which, comparatively with the situation we had lately 
left, appeared a perfect harbour. In the mean time, the wind had failed our 
consort, when she was a mile and a half short of this place ; and Lieutenant 
Liddon, after endeavouring in vain to warp up to us, was obliged, by the ice 
suddenly closing upon him, to place her in-shore in the first situation he 
could find, which proved to be in very deep water, as well as otherwise so 
insecure, as not to admit a hope of saving the ship, should the ice continue 
to press in upon her. It now became of essential importance to endeavour 
to get the Hecla so far into security in her present situation, as to allow of 
assistance being sent to the Griper in case of accidents. With this view, I 
assembled the officers and ship’s company, and having acquainted them with 
my intention, caused such arrangements to be made for sending parties 
round, accompanied by proper officers, as might prevent confusion whenever 
that measure became necessary. The plan proposed was, to cut large scut- 
tles or holes in the decks, if time were allowed for doing so, whenever the 
wreck of the ship should appear to be unavoidable, in order to allow the 
casks of provision to float up out of the hold, as in any other case they must 
have sunk with the ship, in deep water. The Hecla’s crew were set to work 
to saw off some thick tongues of ice, which prevented her going into a sort 
of “ natural dock,” as the sailors term it, formed by the masses of grounded 
ice ; a tedious and cold operation, which they performed with their usual 
alacrity, and thus placed the ship in complete security. I then walked 
round to the Griper, to acquaint Lieutenant Liddon with the arrangements 
that had been made, and to consult with him as to the other means to 
be adopted for her safety, and the preservation of the stores. We were 
